Veterans’ Claims Backlog Slashed, Secretary Says

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs has doubled the number of claims it decides each month and slashed a mountainous backlog of benefit requests dating back years, Secretary Anthony J. Principi said.

That backlog, which generated widespread concern on Capitol Hill and among veterans groups as it ballooned during the 1990s, has been cut from 600,000 to 394,000 claims in recent months.

“We decided to really declare war on that backlog and took some rather bold steps to address it,” Principi said.

VA claims managers now resolve about 70,000 claims a month, more than double last year’s rate of 29,000, he said.

In addition, the department has established a “tiger team” of managers in Cleveland that ruled on claims for about 28,000 veterans over age 70 who had waited more than a year for answers, he said.

“We have seen the figures where VA has been increasing their production. I believe Secretary Principi is seriously concerned about the state of the VA backlog and the adjudication process,” said Joe Violante, national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans.

“Our concern, however, is that, while they are increasing their production, if they are not getting them right the first time they are no better off than if they weren’t processing those cases.”

Principi said he didn’t have exact figures but the majority of the processed claims do approve benefits for those requesting them.

“It’s a case study that things can, in fact, turn around; not only in the private sector but in government bureaucracy as well,” said Principi, a Vietnam War veteran.

The VA, the second-largest government agency with 220,000 people, has been besieged with caseload problems. Last year, Congress excoriated the department for training problems that resulted in inaccurate decisions on four of every 10 claims for veterans disability payments.